Day 5 of Fitness – Torq Cycle Atlanta

For Day 5 of Fitness, I decided to hop on the Spinning bike to give my cardio routine some much-needed attention. I went to Torq Cycle Atlanta, which opened just a few months ago in Midtown, for a 45-minute class. I also brought my husband along for this one—nothing like a workout buddy!

We pulled up a few minutes early and parked in the free attached garage. I had already reserved both our bikes online the day before, so once we arrived at the studio, we just had to check in at the desk. Katie, the owner, greeted us and asked our shoe size so we could change into the provided cycling shoes. Now, I took Spinning classes for about a year at the YMCA wearing just my tennis shoes, so I can vouch that the clip-in style of cycling shoe really makes a big difference. It grounds you on the bike pedals, helping you engage your hamstrings as much as your quads and get a great workout.

Alex Martinez, Flannery Keck, Katie Martinez

So once we were strapped into our shoes and had topped off our water bottles at their water bottle filling station, we headed with the rest of the class into the studio. Each bike had a towel already placed on it, and Alex helped anyone who needed to adjust their bike settings to fit. Then he got the music going, dimmed the lights, and led us through 45 minutes of hills, jumps, “tap backs,” and more—even an arm workout with light weights. Throughout the class. Alex made sure to give us ways to gauge our ride, calling out RPMs to meet or watts to add to our bike—these stats are shown on a little screen right on your bike, so it’s easy to keep track and personalize your ride. And for me, this control over your metrics is one of the best aspects of Spinning—even though my cardio capabilities aren’t where I’d like them to be right now, I did as much as I could and still got a lot from the class. It’s truly your ride, so even if you can’t meet every metric the instructor recommends, just being on the bike is helping your health.

After class was over, we stretched and cooled down with chilled towels. It felt like a spa! The studio also has showers and changing rooms provided for whenever you need them. Afterward, my husband and I swung by Arden’s Garden a few doors down for some juice drinks to re-energize. It was a fantastic workout with a great team, and I really enjoyed it. The first ride is free, and if you want to buy a package before January 15, you can get a month of unlimited rides for $150.